Feature Phone

Definition - What does Feature Phone mean?

A feature phone is a type of mobile phone that has more features than a standard cellphone but is not equivalent to a smartphone. Feature phones can make and receive calls, send text messages and provide some of the advanced features found on a smartphone. Feature phones were primarily designed for consumers who want a multifunctional mobile phone but aren't willing to pay the higher prices associated with true smartphones.

Feature phones are also known as dumbphones, a retronym to contrast them with smartphones.

Techopedia explains Feature Phone

Typically, a feature phone has the basic characteristics of a mobile phone and has capabilities such as a portable media player, digital camera, personal organizer and Internet access. In 2011, feature phones accounted for 70 percent of the mobile phones sold worldwide.

Although there is no predefined difference between a feature phone and a smartphone, a feature phone doesn’t usually support add-on applications. It may also have limited processing and storage capacity and lack advanced multimedia and Internet connectivity options.